Tom grapples with being corrupted by the grownups around him each day just by leaving his house. Bad influences seem to lurk around every corner: litigious parents, drug-dealing bus drivers, and band teachers who want to sleep with his mom. If he sets up a lemonade stand, he gets sued for gross negligence. If he plays baseball, he is encouraged to "dabble with roids." And if he visits the school nurse, he is introduced to the world of insurance fraud. The grownups in Tom's life all mean well, but somehow just can't manage to lead by example.
